Combination converter and window unit



Jan. 15,1946. R HM 2,393,194

COMBINATION CONVERTER AND WINDOW UNIT Filed Dec. 25, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 l VII/IIII/IIIIIIIIAZZIIIAV IIIIII/IlIIIII///l INVEVNTOR ATTORNEY mp1s, 1946. c. R. sAccHlNl 2,393,194

COMBINATION CONVERTER AND WINDOW UNIT Filed Dec. 23, 1942 s Sheets-Sheet 3 7 INVENTOR I76 /7; V 60L UMBU5 R. SACCHIN/ m a l 7 BY ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 15, 1946 Columbus R. Sacchini', Euclid, Ohio, assignor to The Marquette Metal Products Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application December 23, 1942, Serial No. 469,901

3 Claims.

The general object of this invention is to provide certain improvements in or relating to motion converter mechanism units, usable, for example, to drive window or windshield wiper mechanisms on aircraft or other Vehicles. A more specific object is to provide a simple, efiicient, sturdy, and compact unitary mechanism for converting unidirectional rotary motion directly into alternate rotary and, preferably, substantially simple harmonic motion.

A further object is to provide a. motion, converter unit usable for window or windshield wiper mechanisms and analogous uses, wherein a single unitary housing encloses mechanism for converting rotary motion intosubstantially simple harmonic alternate rotary motion.

Another object is to provide a combined and unitary motion converter mechanism and window wiper unit of small size and capable of operating efficiently at relatively high speed so that it may be easily mounted in confined spaces on aircraft or other vehicles and perform properly without requiring the use of subsidiary mechanisms.

Other objects include the provision of a motion converter unit for purposes such as indicated above which unit: (a) can be made economically entirely or nearly entirely from non-magnetic and generally light weight materials so that the unit, regardless of its position on (e. g.) an aircraft, will have practically no effect on the compass of the ship, irrespective of proximity thereof to the converter unit; (1)) will operate properly for long periods of time-as on long flights-without likelihood of requiring any attention or repair; in which the essential working parts can be easily and quickly assembled and maintained in proper free working relationships; (d) in which the number of thrust bearings is reduced substantially to a minimum; (e) in which the outgoing and ingoing shafts are substantially parallel to each other; (f) has simple and eificient oil sealing assemblies; and (g) obviates the necessity for complicated subsidiary mechanism in order to obtain the desiredv oscillating motion from unidirectional rotary motion.

A further object is to provide a novel mounting for a wiper blade control element whereby the shape and locationo'f the field of operation of the blade can be adjusted as will be explained later,

Still another object is to provide a combined motion converter and window unit mechanism wherein operative alignment of an ingoing shaft and a-w'orm' shaft can be effected without maintenance or close manufacturing limits and wherein the mountings for certain of the shafts are arranged for substantially friction-free operation of said shafts.

Other objects and features will become apparent from the following description of a preferred form shown in the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a more or less diagrammatic small scale elevation of the window wiping mechanism of this invention, in one form, showing one relative position of the mechanism with respect to-a typical gun sight such as used on military aircraft;

Fig. 2 isa similar small scale plan view of said mechanism and associated gun sight as though viewed as indicated by the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevational view of the motion converter unit taken generally through the center of the mechanism;

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevational View of the motion converter'unit taken generally as indicated at 4-4- on Fig. 3-;

Fig. 5- is a sectional. View taken generally as indicated at 5-5 in Fig. 1 and showing the preferredmanner of connecting the converter unit to a prime mover; 1

Fig. 6 is anenlarged sectional elevational view of a portion of the converter unit as shown in smaller scale in Fig. 3; I

Fig. 7 is a front elevation of a modified form of converter mechanism for use interchangeably with that of Figs. 1 to 6, the view showing also an adjustable mounting for a wiper blade control link and a portion of said link;

8' is a detail elevational view of the link mounting as though viewed as indicated by the line 8-8 on Fig. '7;

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view (taken similarly to Fig. 4 but from the opposite direction) showing the modified form of converter mechanism, and

Fig. 10 is a detail sectional view a indicated by the line I'll-l0 on Fig. 9.

In Figs. 1 and 2 a typical gun sight tube A and associated sight: B are shown for the purpose of illustrating one convenient mounting position for the window or windshield wiping mechanism l hereof in connection with that particular type of apparatus. The window wiping mechanism shown comprises a motion converter and window unit 2 and window wiping unit 3-.

The gun sight. B has a body portion provided with a transparent window 0 adapted, for example, to form a part or section of the surface of a generally spherical dome type gun canopy (not shown) such as utilized in numerous different' positions on military aircraft. The window wiping mechanism l is adapted to be mounted above the gun sight tube A and behind the gun sight B in which position the mechanism I would be disposed within the closely fitting canopy. Because of the limited space available, it is desirable that the ingoing shafting enter the motion converter and window vunit 2 on the opposite side thereof from the outgoing shafting for the window wiping unit 3 and be driven as by a flexible shaft 4 attached to a motor (not shown) which may be mounted on the gun sight tube A. Also it is sometimes desirable that the unit 2 be driven directly by a motor mounted directly on said unit. The window wiping mechanism I may be mounted on the aircraft or other vehicle by supporting it on an appropriate bracket (not shown) projecting from the gun sight tube A or the main housing of gun-sight B as desired.

In general, the problems encountered in connection with installations on the order of that indicated by Figs. 1 and 2 are similar to those involved in windshield wiping equipment particularly for aircraft; and, additionally, problems are presented by space peculiarities as will be evident from Fig. 1 taken in connection with known general knowledge of gun and gun sight emplacements in military aircraft.

Considerable effective and positive power is required at the wiper blade; and, both from the standpoint of minimizing weight and enabling clear'vision as well as from the standpoint of non-interference with other essential apparatus, the equipment must be relatively small and compact. Consequently, prior devices in which ro tary motion was converted to reciprocatory motion and then converted to oscillatory motion in another unit cannot be used satisfactorily in many confined spaces. Electric motors or other prime movers must be of small'size, capable of fairly high speed, and placed as nearly out of the way as possible, The above are merely illustrative of the numerous problem factors such as had to be taken into consideration in the development represented by the present invention. The casing or housing of the motion converter unit 2 may comprise generally a hollow body 10 which may bean aluminum casting complemented by a hollow head body member ll of similar material secured to the body ID at a suitable joint, including a gasket 12 as by'appropriate cap type screws M (Fig. 4) with heads operatively abutting the head body member H and shanks extending through peripherally spaced opennigs in inwardly. thickened portions of the head ll intothreaded holes [5 in corresponding inwardly thickened portions [6 of the body Ill. The space enclosed by the body [0 and head I! is adapted to retain oil for lubricating the moving parts to be described.

V The main purpose of the head II is to support the outgoing shafting of the motion converter unit 2 which comprises a wiper drive arm shaft i8 which passes through a tlrbular extension I9 of readily variable length integral with the head ll. The'shaft I8 is driven by and supports an arm '20 which is somewhat analogous to a slotted crosshead of a scotch yoke. Said arm 20 is driven by a crank pin 2| of a worm wheel and crank plate assembly 22 driven by the flexible shaft 4 through a' drive gearing assembly 24 comprising miter gears and worm and worm wheel gears as described below. The gearing assembly 24 comprises a tubular extension 25 of thebodyll) which supports an incoming drive shaft 21 and combined thrust plate and bearing member 26 (flanged sleeve) snugly seated in the bore of the extension 25 (Fig. 5). The flanged sleeve 26 is of wear resisting but non-magnetic metal and the flange 28 is in sliding contact with an annular shoulder 29 formed by a narrow enlarged portion 35 of the incoming drive shaft 21 received within the sleeve 25. The outer end of the drive shaft 27 has a non-circular socket 32 adapted to receive a complementary terminal part 4' of the flexible torque shaft 4 (Fig. 1) or a similar part of a motor torque shaft (not shown). An internally threaded enlarged collar 34 of a connector 35 of the flexible shaft 4 is screwed over the outer end of the tubular extension 25. The connector turns freely on a terminal casing portion 4" of the flexible shaft and provides an oil-tight seal at the outer end of the shaft 21.

A miter gear 36 is secured on a reduced inner end portion 38 of the shaft 21 by a taper pin 39 and meshes with a mitergear 40 secured on a transverse worm drive shaft 4!. The shoulder 29 is held in sliding engagement with the flange 28 by the reaction of the gear 36 on the gear 40.

The miter gear 40 is secured on the shaft 4| by a taper pin 42, and the shaft 4| is rotatably supported by suitable non-magnetic sleeve bearings 43 and (Fig. 4) retained in a somewhat spherical extension 45 and a tubular extension 46, respectively, of the body [0. The sleeve bearing 43 is pressed into a circular socket 48 internally' of the extension 45, and the sleeve bearing 44 is in the form of a flanged sleeve pressed into a counterbored opening in the tubular extension 46 concentric with the socket 48.

The flange 50 of the sleeve 44 operatively abuts against the annular shoulder 5! formed by the internally threaded counterboredportion 52 of the opening 43. A sealing gasket 54 fits against the outer face of the flange 59 in the counterbored portion 52 and is retained in position by a retainer nut or plug 55 threaded into the countenbored portion '52 flush with the exterior face of the tubular extension 46. The opening in the sleeve 44 is threaded as at 56 near its outer end so that it may be withdrawn from the housing ID by means'of a complementary threaded bolt or the like (not shown).

A worm'58 is secured on the worm drive shaft 4! between the miter gear 40 and the flanged sleeve 44 by a pin 59 which extends through the shaft 4! and is received in diametrically opposed rectangular notches 60 in the endof the worm 58. One end of the worm 58 slidably engages the inner end of the flanged sleeve 44 and the other end abutsagainst the gear 45. Therefore, since the shaft 27 is retained in position by the reaction of the gear 450:1 the gear 36, both the shaft 4! and the shaft 21 are retained in position by the thrust afforded by the flanged sleeve 44 and the flanged sleeve 26. By the use of the pin 59 and complementary rectangular notches 50, the length of the gear 40 and the'worm 5B asjwell as the spacing between the pins 42 and 59 are not critical.

The worm 53 is in constant mesh with a worm wheel'or gear 61 of the worm wheel and crank plate assembly 22. The-worm Wheel turns freely on an enlarged portion 62 of a bearing and supporting pin 64 (Fig. 3) having a head portion 65 adjacent the hub of the worm gear and an annular shoulder at 65 abutting a combined thrust plate and bearing member 68 (fiangedsleeve). The

sleeve surrounds the pin 64 and is snugly seated in a circular bore'ofthehousing l B; The flanged which the shaft [8 passes isseal'ed against oil sleevetB is of wear resisting but non-magnetic metal and the flange 69 is in sliding contact with the outer portions of the worm wheelwhich otherwise would tend to wear the main body casting. The flange 69 may be held in position against turning by a dowel pin 10. i

Beyond the end of the flanged sleeve 69, in a direction away from the worm wheel 6|, the pin 65 is threaded at H for a retaining nut such as el-"a stic stop nut 12 which bears inwardly on the housing toward the worm against a thrust wajsher T4. The nut and thrust washer may lie partly Within a-suitable cavit 14" in-tne housing body I'd. By maintaining adequate limits be tween the shoulder formed by the head 9 of the pm $4 and the shoulder 65 or "said pin, the worm Wheelcan always turn freely on the pin regardless of how tight the retaining nut 72 is clamped against the washer 14 in holding the pin 64 and the flanged sleeve 68 firmly in position.

The crank plate T5 of the worm wheel and crank plate assembly may be supported on the worm wheel 6| so that it turns therewith by a plurality of cap screws 16 extending through circumferentially spaced counterbored openings 18 e in the'crank .plate into complementary threaded holes 79 in the worm wheel 61 .The'headsof the screws 76 he wholly within the counterbored portions of the openings 18.

Althoughthe mounting of the crank plate 75 on the worm wheel 61 is shown non-adjustable,

such mounting may be made adjustable in order to amplify or reduce the working areaof a wiper blade of the windshield wiping unit 3 as shown in a copending application of Columbus-R. Sacchin-i and William Waterman, Serial No. 419,734, filed November 19, 1941, now Patent 2,376,010, May 15,1945or-asshown in a co-pending application of Columbus R. Sacchini, Serial No. 463,747,

filed October 29, 1942.

The crank plate 15 is hollowed at the face thereof which lies adjacent the worm wheel 6|, so as to fit around the head 65 of the worm wheel supporting pin 64. The crank pin 2| may be integral with the crank plate, and, as shown,

-projects from theouter face of said plate near the periphery thereof. The crank pin 2l extends into a throat slot 81 of the crosshead-cons'tituting arm for oscillating said arm and preferably bears on the arm '26 through the intermediary of a tubular bearing block 82 to avoid wear on the pin an slot.

tional'constant speed rotation of the worm wheel 6! and crank plate '15 revolves the'crank pin 2| which causes the arm 20 to move with substantially simple harmonic motion in oscillating the 'The'openingin the tubular extension IBthrough Ieakage'by 'a' sealing assembly 81 (Figs.-3 and. 6) in an enlargedportion T9 of the exteh'sion I9. The opening is counterbored from the inner face of the head H to form an inner cavity of intermediate diameter'anamadjacent threaded-cavity 89- of larger diameter defining an annularshoulder 90. 'An oi1 'sealing ring s rfits s'nugly in the cavity 8'8,'-l$e ing held therein by an "externally threaded -"retaining nut {93 screwed into and lying wholly within the threaded' "cavity89. The sealing-ring l 9]" is soakedin oil, prior to assembly into its re ceiving recess, to prevent subsequent galling again'st'the shaft l8. The pressure of the nut 93 again-st the sealing ring extrudes a slightfl'ange 92 on said ring as shown particularly in l ig.v 6; and the flange assists in locking the nut in place. The sealing ring is held by the compressive force of the nut with the inner periphery of the ring pressed tightly against the shaft 18.

The outer end of the wiper drive arm shaft I8 preferably has a frusto-conic'al portion 95 merging at an annular shoulder into a reduced threaded cylindrical portion 95 which portion 95 fits into a complementary frusto-conical and cylindr'ical opening "9"! in a bracket portion 980i a wiper blade drive arm headsection 99 having a barrel portion mt disposed transversely of the bracket "98. The window wiping unit 3, shown for purposes of illustration, is or may be the same as that disclosed by the copending applica- 'tion of Columbus R. Sacchini, Serial No.463,746, filed "Octob'er 2'9', I942. n

' The head section '99 pivotally supports a bifurcated Wiper blade supporting section 1 01 by means 'ofa pin we retained in the bracket98 by suitable means, e. g. pin 103". The barrel portion I 09 ex-tends between the arms I02 and I02 of the section NH. The free or outer end of the section I-0l may be attached in the usual manner to a wiper blade I04. As shown, a wiper blade mounting saddle I06 has a transverse bracket 1 06' to which is pivoted one end of a supplemental guide rod H31 of a pantograph mechanism. The guide rod may have a turnbuckle at for lengthwise adjustment, maintained in adjust'edposition by 'a lock-nut 108. The other end 0f the rod 101 is similarly pivoted to a bracket 1 55 preferably extending from the outer end of the bearing tube 19 ofthe converter head housing member H. Details of the preferred form of bracket F55 will be explained in connection with Figs. 7 and 8, later'herein.

The free ends 'of the arms 162 and 10?. extend on opposite sides of the barrel portion of'the wiper-'arm-drivinghead section and make operating contact-with pins 109 and Hi9 projecting laterally from diametrically opposite sides of'a cylindrical crosshead or 'follower H0 in saidbarrel portion 10E]. The crosshead slides easily in said barrel portion and the extensions 1'09 and 109' project through parallel slots in opposite respective walls of theb'arrel portion 1'00. The follower -'I In is "biased toward the right end of the barrel portion Hi0 by means of a coiled blade-' pressure-maintaining spring -l-l-l, "the other end of which bears against a threaded reactance "block 2. A 'spring-force-adjusting screw H3 extendsinto thebarrel portion 100 and through the springand "follower, the head of the screw being in abutment'with one end face of the barrel portion, and the shank being threaded only into the reactance block I I2. The reactance block H 2 may be prevented from turning by reason 'of'suitable lugs (one shown at H2, Fig. 1) slidable in said parallel slots in the walls of the barrel portion. Adjustment of the pressure of the wiper'bl'ade I04 on the-transparent panel C may be obtained by turning the screw I I3 to vary the'tension'of the spring Ill.

The arrangement of window wiping unit is of special advantagein that'the blade pressure may easily-baadjustedand when the form of window -rleviates-= from planar form, as by a simple curve (e. g. -'cylindrical) the blade 'can-be caused to stay'in contact "with the'window surface. The

pantograph mechanism (parts I06',I01, I55 etc.) causes the blade to wipe. a greater area of the window C than could be accomplished by means of a simple wiper blade arm of the length shown. I Referring to the modified construction, particularly Fig. 7, the head body member I50 corresponds to the head body member II of Figs. 1 and 3. at II and I52 for supporting an attachment bracket (not shown), each of the pads having a screw receiving opening as at I53 by which such bracket can be secured in face to face contact with the pads.

Figs. '7 and 8 show the adjustable supporting means for the blade control link I01 of the pantograph mechanism including; the bracket I55 which, as preferred, is adapted to be clamped to the drive shaft bearing sleeve I9 of the housing member I50. The bracket I55 is preferably made of a single piece of sheet metal bent into U -shape providing parallel arm portions I51 having aligned openings I51 for receiving the hearing sleeve I9. One arm portion I51 extends laterally from the sleeve I9 in position to carry a pivotal attachment pin I58 for the link I01. Lengthwise adjustment for said link is constituted by the turnbuckle sleeve I08 and lock-nut already described. The parallel portions I51, where the same fit over the bearing sleeve I9, may be adjusted along the sleeve toward and away from the principal plane of the window or sight glass 0 and the bracket may be turned about the axis of the bearing sleeve I9 to any desired position, thus to move the pin I 58 toward and away from said axis. Clamping of the bracket is effected by a bolt I60 passing through looped portions I56 of the plate I 51, which looped portions are slightly separated, as clearly shown, in order to enable a clamping bolt I60 and nut ..I6I to clamp the bracket in adjusted position on the sleeve I9. The adjustable bracket described above enables the link-supporting pin I56 to be moved toward and away from the axis of the wiper arm drive shaft I 8 to vary the action of the pantograph mechanism; and, in order that such variation will not cause the blade I04 to operate in non-centered relation to the transparent panel, the variation may be compensated by lengthening and shortening of the link I01 at the turnbuckle I08. Thus, if desired, one can, by positioning the bracket I551as shown in Fig. 7, cause the wiper blade I04 shown on Fig. 2 to operate so that the side limits of its cleaning area or field of operation are morenearly parallel to the side portions of the frame B, than when the bracket is turned to other positions; because by moving the pivot pin I58 toward the axis of the drive shaft I8 the side limits of the wiper area diverge at a greater angle in the general direction of extent of the wiper arm IOI (Figs. 1 and 2) If the arm- I06 of the wiper blade mounting is made suiiiciently' shorter than the effective supporting arm for the link attaching pin I58,

then the blade can be caused to clear an areawith h parallel sides, and the shape and amplitude of such areacan be changed by the adjustments described above. V

Referring to Fig. 9 this shows the Worm shaft I62 corresponding to the worm shaft M of Fig. 4 supported in anti-friction roller bearing assemblies I63 and I64 in opposite parts of the main body or housing member. I65,..which latter ,corresponds to the main housing I0 of Figs. 1 to 5.

The bearing rollers I64'occupy a dead end here Said member I50 has pad formations I66 in said main'body member and the rollers I63 occupy a bearing housing I61 which fits tightly into a complementary through bore I68 of the main body and is held in place by a. bore closure nut I69 threaded into a counterbored portion of the opening I68. The nut I69 engages a soft metal sealing disc I10 abutting a flange I1I- of the bearing housing I61 which flange, in turn, abuts the efiective bottom of the counter- .bore to limit. the inward movement of the bearing housing. Theinner end of the bearing housing I61-is positioned to abut a thrust washer I12 loosely surrounding the worm shaft I62 and which receives the operating axial thrust of the worm 58. Said worm 58 may be essentially the same in construction as the worm shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of the previously described construction.

In order to insure a supply of lubricant for the rollers I63 the housing I61 preferably has a cross slot at I14, the upper portion of which is substantially in the plane of rotation of the Worm wheel 6I. Thus lubricant is occasionally thrown off the worm wheel into the slot from whence it can easily travel along the worm shaft to the bearing rollers.

The connection between the power input shaft I15, Fig. 10 (corresponding to the shaft 21 of Fig. 5), and the worm shaft comprises a pair of helical gears I16 and I11, the former being keyed or pinned to a. reduced inner end portion I18 of the shaft I15 and the latter being similarly secured to the main worm shaft I62. The operating axes of the helical gears do not have to be as accurately located for smooth operation as is the case with miter gears. Preferably the helical gears have end notches I16a and HM which receive 'cross pins I19 and I80 respectively extending through the respective shafts and driven tightly into supporting holes in said shaft.

The relatively enlarged outer portion of the shaft I15 preferably has two identical sets of supporting rollers at IBI in the tubular part 25 of the main housing member I65. The outer set of rollers IBI (right, Fig. 10) are retained in .position by the shaft coupling 34 (see Fig. 5), when the same is secured to the tubular extension 25 as previously, described, and the inner set of rollers 'I8I are retained in position by a short flanged sleeve I82 pressed into the inner end of the bore which forms the outer raceway 'for the rollers. A thrust washer I83 outwardly abuts the sleeve I82 and inwardly abuts the hub of the helical gear I16. The outer end of the shaft I15 is prolvided with a non-circular socket I85 for receiving the driving end of the flexible shaft (or of a motor shaft in case the motor is mounted directly onQthe main housing). I The reducedportion I18 which; projects inwardly beyond the helical gear I16 is received into a complementary socket (not shown) in the head body member I50.

. drive shaft, means-arranged to impart alternate rotary motion to said shaft, 2. bearing sleeve surrounding and supporting said shaft, a clamp bracket comprising an openly ,foldedpiece of sheet metal providing parallel spaced arms with 1. In a window wiping mechanism, a wiper arm aligned apertures fitting the sleeve, said arms being connected by a loop of the sheet metal which loop receives a clamping bolt, said loop having portions spaced apart axially of the bolt and with the space therebetween connected with the apertures, said bracket being attachable to the sleeve in a number of different turned positions thereon, a link for controlling the motion of a wiper blade driven by said shaft, and pivot means on the clamp bracket arranged to pivotally support the link with the pivot axis disposed different distances from the drive shaft axis in accordance with the turned position of the clamp bracket on the sleeve.

2 A motion converter unit for driving an oscillatable wiper arm, said unit including a casing forming a support for a worm wheel and an output shaft for connection to such wiper arm, said shaft being connected to the worm wheel by a scotch yoke mechanism in the casing, an input shaft journalled in the casing parallel to the output shaft and on the opposite side of the casing therefrom, a worm shaft with a worm thereon in mesh with teeth of the worm gear, and a gear couple connecting the input shaft with the worm shaft and including a gear member fixed to the worm shaft and maintained operatively in, abutting relation to the worm in an axial direction when the input shaft is turned in normal direction,

3. In a motion converter mechanism, a casing adapted to contain lubricant, a drive shaft and a worm shaft extending transversely of the drive shaft, a pair of gears on said shafts, a worm on the worm shaft, a motion converting crankdriving worm wheel mounted within said casing to turn on an axis parallel to the drive shaft, supporting means for the drive shaft and worm shaft including a set of anti-friction rollers for one of said shafts, a housing in said casing for the rollers and an opening in the housing communicating with a container space for the rollers in said housing, said opening being exposed at one end in the plane of the worm Wheel so as to receive lubricant thrown from the worm wheel.

COLUMBUS R. SACCHINI. 

